The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday ruled in favour of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and declared him the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Geo News reported.

The ECP announced its verdict on a petition filed by the former Pakistan Prime Minister amid an ongoing tussle with his cousin Parvez Elahi over the party leadership. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had approached ECP after PML-Q’s Central Working Committee (CWC) removed him as the party’s president.

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Parvez Elahi had orchestrated the removal of Shujaat as party president, as per the Geo News report. In July of last year, PML-Q’s CWC announced its decision to release Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from the duties of party president. The PML-Q’s Central Working Committee (CWC) had cited health concerns for the decision which was taken at a meeting headed by Senator Kamil Ali Agha.

“It has become necessary to isolate Ch Shujaat to save the party from destruction,” said Kamil Ali Agha while talking to the media after the CWC meeting.

At the time, the PML-Q’s CWC had also established an election body to hold intra-party elections. During the meeting, the PML-Q leaders decided that the party will hold the polls within 10 days. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Senator Kamil Ali Agha called it an ‘unpleasant’ situation for everyone related to the party, according to a Geo News report. Kamil Ali Agha said that everything that happened in the party was taken in recent days was before everyone.

Kamil Ali Agha said that the decision was made in the party’s interest. He said that Shujaat had lost decision-making powers due to his ill health. However, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain approached the ECP regarding the matter, as per the news report.

The ECP had said that former Pakistan PM Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will continue to hold the post of party president till the petition was dealt with, as per the news report. The ECP after hearing the plea filed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain reserved its verdict on August 18, 2022.

The party was divided into two camps as Parvez Elahi, his son Moonis and most of the party leader sided with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Meanwhile, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Salik Hussain and Tariq Bashir Cheema backed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).